FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE




 Gingrich to speak at Gay Youth Pride Day

 
The Youth Pride Alliance (YPA) is pleased to announce that lesbian
 activist Candace Gingrich, of the Human Rights Campaign, will be one of
 the keynote speakers at this year's Youth Pride Day on Saturday April
18, 1998.

 "We are very pleased to have Candace speak this year," David Grossman,
 program Director for Youth Pride Day '98 stated.  "Her commitment to
 civil rights for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people makes
 her a very popular role model among the youth.  We are confident her
 message will be well received."
 

 Gingrich is the National Coming Out Project Associate Manager for the
 Human Rights Campaign, the largest national lesbian and gay political
organization.  Last year Gingrich traveled to over 60 cities across the
country as part of HRC's work to educate our friends and allies about
 g/l/b/t issues, and share skills that can be used to affect change in a
positive way.


In addition to Gingrich, several other keynote speakers were announced.
 Gary Bowen, the founder of American Boyz!, a support group for female to
 male transgenders, Kristophe Morris, President and CEO of Human Adv., a
 GLBT civil rights group based in Kansas and Connecticut, Dania Palanker,
 Youth Organizing Representative for the Mid-Atlantic Region of Bi-Net
 USA, Jessie Gilliam and Maria Pulzetti, co-founders of National Day of
 Silence, and Brian McCarthy, a local gay youth, have been selected to
 give keynote addresses at this year's Youth Pride Day. These keynote
 speakers will be joined by over 25 local youth who will give shorter
testimonial speeches throughout the day.


 "This group of speakers represents the dynamic diversity of our
 community," Christopher Dyer, Chair of the Youth Pride Alliance added.
 "Each of these individuals are leaders in the community in their own
 respect and have been chosen by the committee for their recognized
 ability to educate, motivate and inspire youth."


 Additionally, several local performance groups were announced.  Steve
 Gellman, a local gay folk singer, and Nikki Groshan, a gay singer, are
 repeat acts from last year's Youth Pride Day.   Jane Doe, an all-lesbian
 alternative rock band, and Matrix are new groups performing at this
 year's event.  Jacqueline Hyde and Mattie LaMar, two young drag queens,
 will also make appearances.
 

 "We are really excited about this program," David Grossman added.  "We
 think the combination of our keynotes, testimonials and entertainers
 will dazzle the audience and articulate our three themes of awareness,
 visibility and pride."
 

The Youth Pride Alliance is a coalition of over 25 youth support and
 advocacy groups in the Metro DC Area including Sexual Minority Youth
 Assistance League (SMYAL), Parents, Family, and Friends of Lesbians and
 Gays (P-FLAG DC), Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education Network (GLSEN DC),
 seven campus student groups, Metro Teen Aids Coalition and BiNetwork DC.
Its mission is to celebrate the dignity and courage of all young people
as they discover their identity as gay, lesbian, bisexual or straight;
 and challenge society to stop the hate, the violence, the fear, the
 isolation, and the denial.
 By sponsoring events such as Youth Pride Day, the Alliance strives to
 achieve its goal of providing safe and healthy spaces for youth to grow.
 For additional information, contact Christopher Dyer at (202) 588-8008
 or call the 24-hour YPA hotline at (703) 518-0631 or e-mail
 YouthPride@innovisionmm.com.
  
  

  
   

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